I don’t think there is a sufficient constituency for any of this. Trump explicitly opposed cutting Social Security and Medicare. In fact, those promises were what gave him credibility with the white working class that Republicans don’t generally get. And as to privatizing the VA, why not do it if that’'s what veterans want. But everything I have ever read about that issue is that veterans are opposed to privatization. We should be so lucky to have a Trump Administration propose all these things. It would be the fastest way to fracture their coalition.
Oh yes indeed. Anyone over the age of 55, will get a letter in the mail saying the government is no longer running their SS. It’s now been turned over to one of the equity funds on Wall Street.
Think I’m lying? Google “Argentina Pension crisis.”
We’re on our way.
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In fact, the Blue states could do it through Interstate Compacts, authorized by the Constitution. If you put together the Blue states from yesterday’s returns, they would have both the population and the financial heft to do exactly what you are proposing. In fact a broader strategy of Blue State public policy through Compacts coukd allow them to bypass Congress on a lot of issues. Succession without succession. Every big political loss brings big political opportunities.
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I hope you are correct. It is gong to be tough to climb out of the abyss of despair.
I don’t think Bevin did anything to ACA in Kentucky, except move the system to the federal marketplace from the state marketplace. That’s no big deal. In fact, that’s how the House bill was originally structured. It was the Senate Democrats who agreed to add the state marketplace option to appease the Republicans. Lot of good that did.
I would urge everyone that has healthcare insurance to be sure and complete all the Preventive Maintenance procedures that are currently covered because of ACA.
The GOP replace plan will not cover those treatments and the co-pays of policies will sky-rocket.
And the ACA, marriage equality, voter suppression and myriad other GOP wet dreams. The GOP has been singing the same tune for a long time comfortable in the knowledge that the Senate democrats would filibuster or president Obama would veto any attempt to actually legislate their platform. Now they have lost their last best excuse and will have to either act on their rhetoric or acknowledge that they talk the talk to win elections but do not intend to walk the walk and run the risk of being voted out of power.
Why does everyone insist that if Republicans enact laws that Democrats find anathema they will find themselves butting heads and losing support with their own constituents? 53% of white women voted for Trump, and it’s clear his attitudes, statements, avowed SCOTUS appointment intentions and general opinion and treatment of women are deplorable. Yet it didn’t cost him.
The only people that hate women more than Republican men are Republican women. Remember that.
That is what it would take. Vermont passed single payer but was too small a market to implement the plan. Single payer was on the ballot here in Colorado and was soundly defeated. I think California is a big enough market to run a single payer program on its own, and if it could team with Oregon and Washington it could set a great model.
I don’t think the senators constituents who get Black Lung benefits would be pleased.
So they wipe out the ACA and enact a stand alone program for Black Lung sufferers. Targeted goodies for narrow constituencies in the service of preserving the loyalty of one specific segment of the electorate is a familiar tactic to Presidents and Congress.
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My cynicism runs deep but I still want to believe that if the GOP enacts laws that cause serious harm to their own constituency they will pay a price at the ballot box. I think the bigger risk facing the GOP is their failure to act on their campaign rhetoric. The conventional wisdom, for whatever it may be worth, is that Trump won in large part because of his faux populist act that tapped into a lot of anger and frustration with DC politicians and business as usual. If they cannot of will not deliver, those angry voters may just stay at home next time.
This will not be anywhere near a piece of cake.
2000 and 2004 were sad days for America; I was disappointed and distressed. Today is catastrophic, and I truly fear for both the country and the world.
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I just expressed my fears of what this congress will do (everything mentioned in your post) and was informed by my white male coworker that the Repubs don’t want to revoke women’s rights and that that they probably won’t undo everything we gained under Obama.
I know he voted Clinton but, I wonder if this is some of the problems out there. That people just don’t think The Repubs are THAT bad.
That harm would have to manifest itself in the form of a Republican voter casting a ballot for a Democrat in their GOP officeholder’s (or aspirant’s) election battle. Voters crossing the aisle in this hyper-partisan environment is far less common than it was in previous generations. Now it’s party before principle, And party before self interest.
I’m not sure Trump will last that long as President - he has no idea what is facing him in terms of the responsibilities of the job. However, that leaves us with Mike Pence who WOULD dismantle Social Security - and he has a Republican congress behind him to do it. That is my worst fear (and nuclear war before Trump resigns).
If Trump launches nukes it’ll be against a nation that doesn’t have the capacity to reciprocate. Those that do, such as Russia, aren’t going to retaliate in the service of another nation unless they’re also attacked. A tactical theater nuke lobbed into the Iranian desert to take out several square miles of suspected terrorist/jihadist controlled territory (civilian casualties be damned) is likely not cascading into a nuclear exchange with a nation capable of doing so. It’ll get damned unpleasant, and everyone will be shaking in their boots Trump has stepped in some serious shit, but I doubt it goads Russia into lobbing a few our way in response.
Oh, by all means get all the legislation to erase Obama from the record books ready and wave it under his nose. Yeah, do that immediately so you can show everybody how you intend to “govern”. Show your followers exactly what they bought.
I hope they all know that with total control of government they will pass their favorite laws through both houses, the Prez will sign them and their new right-wing Supreme Court will adjudge them constitutional. God, it will be a perfect world for them.
Just wait until they nationalize the Brownback Conservative Utopia economic plans. That will be perfect for them.
Play Satchmo’s Wonderful World while you are reading all these comments.